Saturday, October 25, 2014

Fleeting Youth Records' (a Record and Tape Label out of Austin Texas) latest release is Blooming, a fierce compilation album of alternative rock with varying blends of indie, garage, punk, post punk, noise rock and power pop. The label chose from 110 submissions finally coalescing the potent batch into a heady 33 tracks from 33 bands from the US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Australia and the Netherlands. As Fleeting Youth puts it: Blooming is: 90 plus minutes of pure fuzz-rock bliss. We wholeheartedly agree. This is a must have compilation.

On the surface St.Vincent as a movie should not work. It is full of movie conventions. You have the old curmudgeon, the overly wise kid, the mom done wrong by a man and starting over and the prostitute / stripper who deep down inside has a heart that while it may not be made of gold is, at least, gold plated. St. Vincent works maybe for the things it doesn't have. There are no explosions. No protracted comic fights. No chase scenes. No histrionics really, of any kind. When characters have emotional high and lows they are handled in a real earnest way. Nothing is over the top. No hyper sense of reality here. And wonders among wonders, the people portrayed on the middle to lower economic rung don't live in a house or apartment that in reality would be well beyond their means.

The true brilliance of St.Vincent is that it proves that it is not the basic plot line (or twist on one) that is as important to the telling of a story as how well the characters that inhabit that story are written and writer / director Theodore Melfi has written characters that we care about and whom we can relate to. We have all known kids who seem to be wise beyond their year. We all know single mom's who struggle everyday to make that dollar while at the same time try to raise a kid or kids. And, unfortunately, we all have had tragedy befall us to only have a heaping of more hardship hit us when we are down.

The style of the movie can can feel a bit all over the place. Tonally parts of it feel like a 70's movie (think Bob Rafelson's "Five Easy Pieces") and at other times it feels like a self conscious indie flick (think: more than one Wes Anderson movie) but the shifts don't feel so startling as to pull yourself out of the movie, in fact, some of the superb songs (especially those by Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy) seem to advance the story and draw out the emotional tugs just right. When the Bill Murray's character of Vincent comes to the aid of young Oliver (played wonderfully by newcomer Jaeden Lieberher) who is being bullied and who he is "baby sitting" the scene (again) feels like a retread but the dialog is not. That dialog delivered by Murray (as only he can) elevates the scene. I could go on and on but it cannot be emphasized enough that Melfi has crafted a film built on words that contain truths and these emotional truths bond together the characters in this movie and those of us who are responsive to these emotional truths.

Besides Murray's perfectly balance performance, Melissa McCarthy proves that less is more. Like Robin Williams, she has always been able to give both broad and subtle comedic and dramatic performances that can touch you and make you laugh. In St. Vincent, she (like her character) feels like she is on that razor thin verge of laughing and crying. A great performance. The young actor Jaeden Lieberher in this, his debut movie outing, (without question) kills it. The true surprise for me is Naomi Watts as the Russian pregnant prostitute / stripper who doesn't let her baby bump slow her down. "Daka" makes Vincent seem politically correct. Watts provides the only true comic relief but still manages to imbue Daka with emotional depth. Chris O'Dowd plays the affable Catholic school teacher and every time he is on the screen you just wish you had a teacher like him growing up. Terrence Howard is not on the screen often but gives weight to his bad guy role.

St.Vincent is a must see. It is really a pleasure to see what some may call a rather unoriginal storyline told in such a uniquely endearing and ultimately original way. After all, most of our lives are not all that original but we as individuals are and we all have our own stories to tell full of tragedies and personal victories. This might be St.Vincent's most important lesson.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

I can still remember when Devo appeared on Saturday Night Live way back on October 14th, 1978. I hadn't heard or seen anything like them. I felt like my brain had been pulled out of my skull, twisted, wrung out and left to air dry. At the time, I thought they were so weird but so potent as well. The rest is history. Months earlier David Bowie and Iggy Pop championed Devo and their zeal for their sound and art performance definitely helped Devo secure a recording deal with Warner Bros. Records. To this day, they stand alone as one of the most unique art punk / art new wave / avant-pop bands of all time. Their place in the history of music, music videos and live performance is set in stone.

On December 1st, the Futurismo Label is releasing Devo's Miracle Witness Hour. For music aficionados this is pretty amazing stuff. Recorded in 1977 at a biker bar turned dive bar called the Eagle Street Saloon in Cleveland, Ohio it is like stepping into a time machine. As I listened to all these songs I tried to imagine what the crowd was thinking hearing such trippy songs. I also try to imagine these "songs of the future" set against the dive bar setting which is a trip in and of itself. The live recordings shine and Devo kills it. Some of the crowd response feels tentative at first but ultimately they get it and show their enthusiasm.

This special remastered release also boasts cool packaging. The outer sleeve comes die cut revealing the box-fold reversible cover inner sleeve containing a second sleeve full of rare images as well as brand new liner notes by Devo founding member Gerald Casale. The vinyl is pressed on heavyweight 180 G colored vinyl with free dnld and the record is also available on Die-cut Digipak CD format.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

"The sort of music we imagine they'd play on the moon" - Breaking More Waves

ZolaBloodMeridianEP (PondLife Songs)

ZolaBlood, the latest act to emerge from the much-loved and revered Pond Life Songs, announced their arrival this July with the release of the hugely ambitious tracks Grace and Meridian. The latter premièred on The Fader and positioned them as The Hype Machine's # 1 most blogged about artist in late August.

Two
months into their online existence, their soundcloud had clocked up
more than 230,000 soundcloud plays and the band had been back by NME,
Fake DIY, Q, XFM, The Independent, Lauren Laverne, Jo Whiley and many
more. Their debut show at The Shacklewell Arms also sold out in a week
of tickets becoming available online.

Developed over a year in a windowless Hackney Wick studio, ZolaBlood’s sound is minimal and textured, with intricate arrangements and meticulous attention to detail. The MeridianEP serves
up waves of ambient electronica and bubbling synths, interspersed with
reverberating guitars and delicate vocals that draw you into a nocturnal
soundscape of soulful rumination.

On the MeridianEP, ZolaBlooddisplayboth a ferventappreciation of the subtleties of electronicmusic and a loyalbond to melody and songwriting. The band’s distinctivesound is a testament to Pond Life’s passion for bold and inventivenewmusic.

After
a 22-year hiatus, the label synonymous with Talk Talk’s 1991 album
Laughing Stock have hit the ground running as their newest singing
positions themselves as one of the most exciting new bands around.

ZolaBlood was born in October last year and are Matt (vocals/guitar), Ed (Synth), Sam (drums) and Rob (guitar).

As of late, it has been tough. Homesick is the operative word. While I wear the bravest of faces, I miss the familiarity, places, friends, acquaintances, my brothers and sisters. The ability to roll out of bed on a Saturday morning and have a dozen places to get a breakfast burrito. Most of all, I miss my two kids. I miss them tremendously.

Since we have been in this pretty cool home in Flowery Branch we have not populated it with much furniture partly because our monetary focus has been on other things. This pretty much empty house has in and of itself made me feel less at home (I think). I am happy to report that I am typing this on our new table. New to us but second hand. We found it on Craigslist and from the back and forth emails with the seller I got a sense that he is a good guy. It may seem odd but that is important to me. Also, from the pictures I viewed, the dining room set just seemed to fit us and fit the house.

My wife and I traveled a full hour and a half to a town called McDonough. William's house was set off the beaten path as they say in an area with vast land around each property. The country house had wrap around porches and a cool rustic look. The fence that enclosed the main front and back areas had two wide gates. William saw me pull up and beckoned me around to the side gate. We were welcomed by his cute little girls and two equally cute dogs. One was a beagle and one a lab / basset hound mix. Meeting this nice guy and his kids (however briefly) was a sweet gift. It was one of those idyllic moments that pulled me back to when my kids were that age. Of how much I enjoyed it but maybe didn't relish it like I should have. It made me want to relive those feelings again.

What was once this other family's dining room set now graces our dining room and it feel nice to sit on it's quite comfortable chair and sip my cup of coffee and type. Another thing to have this morning is a "Cup of Curiosity" which is a passage in Tow3rs' track Cups. His new album TL:DR drops on November 11th. I think curiosity is key in life. A genuine curiosity about people helps us all in be more understanding. I know it helps pull me out of the doldrums too. Enjoy the track and your day.
-
Robb Donker

Saturday, October 18, 2014

"Golden Apple" by Spottiswoode and His Enemies is a song full of dark shadows and a sense of mystery. The ambiance floats on an accordion bed and a super catchy guitar riff that is counter played by an equally cool base line and an almost nonchalant drum pattern. The musical tone that might be described as an almost drug hazey Doors-ish sound meets hippie beach goth is fully cemented by the provocative lyrics sung by Spottiswoode with that gorgeous voice that I first wrote about a couple of years ago (see here).

"Feel the moon running through your blood... soon, soon we'll be free my love" is but one line that suggests something unearthly going on or not. Other lines hint at a lover's rendezvous or a grand escape from something nefarious or maybe even a more morbid final grand escape . The Official video feeling retro and a bit psychedelic was shot at St. John's Lutheran Church in Greenwich Village with British Council
Archive footage rolling in the background. "Golden Apple" is an engaging dark seduction. Loving this sound. -Robb Donker Golden Apple is from this year's (2014) English Dream AlbumSpottiswoode and His Enemies Official Site

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

I am in the courtship phase with Manuka Piglet, a self described folk pop band from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Their Album "Brain-Damaged Toon Underworld" has had me in it's off kilter embrace for a couple of weeks. I cannot stop listening to it and a full review of this mind bending affair is percolating in my brain but for now I want to focus, tease you with track 3 Dorothy. It is the weepy song on the album. It feeds my sadness and my thirst for that sort of detached poetry that makes you want to curl in the fetal position and cry your guts out. It also goes from that kind of Radiohead-ish 90's depression to a hyper-kinetic happy feet kind of askew joy. It is bipolar. It pulls you from the depths to the surface of whatever life you are stuck with or have created for yourself.

I love the ride it provides and the askew lyrical content that walks a tightrope between pathos and silliness. Absolutely love this song.
-
Robb Donker

"hold your head up high and cry instead of
existing as a washed up painting
and you'll be watched by millions in this twisted lucid
dream yourself away to a better place this evening"

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

You can go ahead and thank Northern American for songs like the shimmering
“Record Forever” to go with your ice-cold beer beside the pool and the
bluesy “Don’t Be a Star” to go down with that warm whiskey as you look
over L.A.’s nightscape. - Buzzbands.LA

Press Release

West coast quartet Northern American is heading east to New York City for their CMJ Music Marathon debut. In addition to the band’s official CMJ performance at Alphabet Lounge on October 21st, the band will be featured on Siren Sounds’ official showcase at Williamsburg’s famed venue, Spike Hill, Friday, October 24th at 9:15 p.m. sponsored by Sixpoint Brewery.

Fresh off the successful release of the band’s latest track “Elysian,”Northern American has much to celebrate with an upcoming video and highly anticipated full album (January 2015, Heist or Hit Records).

Northern American delivers smooth, atmospheric rock that feels like a breezy summer night in Hollywood hills overlooking the bright city.

“We don’t get into the city grind, we’re more in tune with nature,” reveals singer/guitarist Nate Paul. The band’s concerns may not lie with Tinseltown but Los Angeles is buried deep within the band’s genetic make-up. More in keeping with the laid back tones of fellow California dwellers Mazzy Star, Jonathan Wilson, or contemporary peers Local Natives and Autolux, Los Angeles is a major influence on the band’s sound. Shot through with shimmering sun-kissed melodies of reverb-laden
guitar, the band’s lyrics are set within the city’s ethereal, green hills landscape surrounding the bustling city lights.

While most artists have their own roles to play within their band, Northern American is a fully

collaborative project with all band members contributing lyrics, melody, and rhythm to the final product. This creative process allows for a more organic sound that truly reflects Northern American as a band.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

St.Vincent aka Guitar Goddess Annie Clark and her band pull off a perfect performance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival and thankfully you can view the entire event and Belle and Sebastian's set as well below. When I listen to St.Vincent I feel like I have time traveled into the future. Her songs combine beauty and true rock prowess with guitar lines are like a transcendent blendo mix of space rock, new wave electronica and classic rock combined with performance art. She redefines music and it is hard put her sound into a well defined box. I would call it sci-fi spaghetti western new wave punk at this moment and maybe something else tomorrow. Amazingly fun performance: Annie shreds on multiple guitars, climbs scaffolding and commandeers the audience's clothes and a crutch all in stiletto heels.
-
Robb Donker

The Official video for King Tuff's - " Black Moon Spell" is a spiraling scatter shot of leather clad headbanging, Marshall stacks, 70's hair, and what I could only explain as some kind of death / goth / devil / worship inspired camp. All this eye catching stuff on top of a part heavy metal part glam rocker and you have everything you need to make you smile broadly and head bang away. Besides his ability to write sexy guitar riffs, Kyle Thomas is able to shift styles at will and I like this one a lot.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Having enjoyed seeing Shannon and The Clams live for years, I was so stoked to see them on TV doing their incredible brand of sock hop punk even though it was on Last Call with Carson Daly (I'm kidding). Shot at the Observatory in Santa Ana, California at a Burger Records affair complete with some shots of the omnipresent Blaque Chris groovin on stage. Enjoy!
-
Robb Donker

Every musician / band dreams of possessing their own recording studio. The Cold War Kids have such a dream place and just released Hot Coals which was recorded there (in San Jose, California). The track was produced by guitarist Dan Gallucci and Lars Stalfors (Mars Volta, Matt and Kim).

This track will be on their fifth studio album entitled "Hold My Home" which is due to drop on October 27th via Sony / RED Records. Hot Coals cuts a deep groove with big lush synth lines, powerful vocals and jagged guitar rhythms

Maybe the measure of how great a band is live is not only how many people pack the audience but pack the stage as well and Fidlar exceeds on both counts. I love this video performance. Shot at Burgerama 2013 in Orange County, California with my trusty 25 times zoom Lumix. Enjoy.
-
Robb Donker

Sunday, October 5, 2014

When I am 76 years old and on my deathbed I hope that my kids, my wife, a brother or sister or friend or two will be around to say goodbye. If I find my self all alone I would prefer drifting into the other life while looking at pics of them, reminiscing of days gone by while listening to my favorite playlist of all time. Weezer's "Say It Ain't So" from their 1994 self titled debut album will be on that playlist, many other Weezer songs will be on it as well. Will any songs off of their current album, "Everything Will be Alright In The End" be? Maybe a few. Ain't Got Nobody, Go Away and the nearly instrumental The Futurescope Trilogy: The Waste Land/Anonymous/Return to Ithaca (more on that later). Rather than review this album, here are some random thoughts on some of the songs.

Eulogy For A Rock Band starts out promising but the chorus seriously sounds like a 80's Episodic TV theme show. I can't forgive the J-poppy chorus. Hmmmm??? Maybe it will be big in Japan.

Lonely Girl is as catchy as hell. It truly is. Guitar sounds are sweet but like fast food, it doesn't stick with you.

I appreciate the personal history behind Back To The Shack but the lyrics are too transparent for me and the music is too bland. It is the Beverly Hills of this album and I disliked that song as well.

What the fuck?? That is what I said when Rivers goes all Freddy Mercury and Brian May-ish on I've Had It Up To Here. Even for a Queen-ish / Weezer song is feels waaaay too over produced and is bi-polar times three in it's writing.

The beginning of The British Are Coming kind of stunned me. The simple kind of elegant tone is nice and that melody does carry throughout but the lyrics just leave me scratching my head. Why?? Why?? Even as a metaphor for whatever it fails for me.

Da Vinci is just way too cute for me. Not to mention it feels like it is peppered with product placements. The whistling thing is annoying and the mention of Ancestry.com made my skin crawl. On the positive side, Rivers did not sing about Harmony.com (ewwwww).

One of the big bright spots is Go Away. It has that 50's sock hop
retro meets proto-punk feel that Rivers Cuomo likes to swim in. Made me think of Denis by
Blondie a bit. Does it blow me away? No, but it doesn't have to. It is
simple and sweet and has nice harmonies. It is the perfect campfire and death bed
song.

Cleopatra I really like everything about this track and the vocal melodies until it stumbles hard with the heavy metal cheese that interrupts the flow two times.

The track Foolish Father despite the nice sentiment is over layered, over wrought emo rock and the melodies do it in in the end. The ending literally sounds like a something you would hear on Glee.

The Futurescope Trilogy: The Waste Land/Anonymous/Return to Ithaca is over the top rock opera stuff andis a total surprise, so much so that it engaged me. It being a nearly instrumental piece of work also was a plus because the lyrical content on this album is much weaker than the music.Pretty lush stuff and the over production works on this one.

The track Ain't Got Nobody is a great opening track. Thick with guitar chops, classic Weezer breaks and angst. River's voice is tinged with sadness. The guitar leads have a live feel and puzzle piece with the bass and drums perfectly. My favorite track on this album.

For a limited time you can stream "Everything Will Be Alright In The End" at Itunes Radio.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

The Official video for "Snakes" from Kera and the Lesbians' Year 23 EP glows in stark black and white. It is a pulpy mix of murder, mysticism and a possible reel to reel resurrection. Edited with the cool shimmy shake and dicey dramatics of the song, the imagery demands your full attention as does Kera herself whose evocative vocal performance beckons you to lean in and savor all the nuances and bite that she has to offer. Directed by Sinziana Velicescu and Michael Delaney with photography direction from Lonnie Francisco, "Snakes" is one of the better music videos I have seen this year and successfully helped me rinse out the bad taste in my mouth left by Jack White's "Would You Fight For My Love" video.

Kera and the Lesbians are about to embark on a West Coast Tour and you will be doing yourself a huge favor if you attend one of their shows. Snake your way up to the front of the stage if at all possible and prepare to surprised at what you will see, hear and feel. While the whole band is special in their own way, it is Kera Armendariz who is the lightning rod possessed with the ghosts of music of the past as she embodies this kind of 40's porch blues garage rock with a pure punk aesthetic. I interviewed her and the boys a couple of years ago. Please check it out here: AP Interview: Kera and The Lesbians Want to Lay Their Hands On You